Costa Rica’s highest court published a 287-page ruling, stating that Costa Rica’s same-sex marriage ban is unconstitutional and discriminatory. The decision asserts that marriage equality for same-sex couples must be made legal by May 2020.

The court sided with the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, which ordered countries in Central America to legalize same-sex marriage back in January.

Costa Rica is known for being socially progressive in terms of higher education and health care. But all human rights issues are not protected equally. Reproductive rights are still limited, and only 30% of Costa Ricans supported same-sex marriage according to a survey released in January by the University of Costa Rica.

Image courtesy – thespruce.com

According to the Guardian, the decision upset Jose Francisco Ulloa, the bishop of the city of Cartago, who said that he agreed that,

“People with this special inclination have rights like any citizen. But these are never equal to a normal, natural marriage, like we have in Costa Rica between a man and a woman.”

Costa Rica’s first same-sex wedding was blocked in January by officials. They refused to recognize it until the ban was officially lifted by law. Following the decision, human rights activists protested for equal LGBTQ rights.

Costa Rica has now become one of 28 countries to enact laws allowing LGBTQ couples to marry. In Mexico, the picture is mixed, with some jurisdictions allowing same-sex marriages and others not. With 195 countries in the world, we still have a long way to go to achieve marriage equality for all.